


Five Years Down the Line

by Beefmaster



Category: Silicon Valley (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Future Fic, I've never seen Succession, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22249051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beefmaster/pseuds/Beefmaster
Summary: Five years later, Richard and Jared are still friends.
Relationships: Jared Dunn/Richard Hendricks
Comments: 5
Kudos: 49
Collections: Silicon Valley Winter Exchange 2k19





	Five Years Down the Line

**Author's Note:**

  * For [joycecarolnotes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joycecarolnotes/gifts).



They don’t spend as much time together as they used to. Which is not surprising. They used to work together, they used to live together, they used to go to specialty yarn shops together. But now Jared lives in San Jose, and Richard still lives in Palo Alto, and it’s only about a thirty minute drive on a good day but with typical Bay Area traffic it can be close to an hour and a half. 

But they still spend time together. Every week or so, they’ll watch a movie at Richard’s place, or go to a Vegan restaurant, or go for a walk at the Ravenswood Preserve. It’s still Jared and Richard, just like they always were, just a little older and a little less able to bend down into a crouching position.

**Text from Jared Dunn**

Season 7 of Succession starts tonight, do you want to come over and watch it?

**Text from Richard <3 Hendricks**

Sure, I’ll be there around 7:30

“Richard!” Jared says, throwing open the door. He always greets Richard like this, like he hasn’t seen him in years. “I’m so glad to see you!”

“Good to see you too, man. I brought those vegetable chips you like.”

“Oh, thank you!” 

Jared takes the chips from Richard, brushing his hands as he does so. Jared’s hands are soft. _Were they always this soft,_ Richard wonders, _or have they gotten softer with age?_

“You redecorated,” Richard says as he walks into Jared’s living room.

“Oh, Richard, you noticed! Yes, I got these whimsical coasters from my friend Barbara’s estate. She was in the Peace Corps for years, so she had an amazing collection of fertility idols-”

“No, I mean, your couch is facing the other way.”

“Oh! Yes. I just think the sunlight hits the room better when the furniture is oriented this way. Not to mention it’s much better for the flow of the room.”

“I’m not sure I'm feeling the uh, the flow, but I like it.” Richard walks over to the shelf by Jared’s TV. “I forgot about this picture.” It’s a picture of him and Jared at a Pied Piper party five years ago, right before it all went wrong. Richard is wearing his Pied Piper costume, while Jared stands behind him with his arm around him. There is frosting on Richard’s shoulder, which Jared is attempting to hide with his hand. 

“Really? I’ve had it on my shelf for years.” Jared comes up behind Richard, picking up the photo. Richard can feel the heat from his on his back.

“I guess the uh- the new lighting from, um, your shelf is on the other side now, so the sun-” Why is Jared standing so close? And why is he so warm?

“Gosh, we were so young.” 

“Yeah, not anymore.” Richard self-consciously touches his cheek.

“Now we’re older and wiser.” Jared puts the photo back down and heads toward the kitchen. “Come on, I’ve got those stuffed olives you love.”

“God, this show has really gone off the rails,” Richard says. They’re on Jared’s couch, fifteen minutes into the episode. Jared still has his feet planted firmly on the ground, but Richard has propped his feet up on the coffee table. Jared hasn’t said anything about it. "I hate this whole story line about Kendall trying to buy Ohio."

“I know. I hate to say it, but ever since Disney took over HBO three years ago, all their shows have gone downhill.”

“Mm,” Richard grunts thoughtfully. “Sarah Snook is still hot, though.”

Jared nods.

“She’s an attractive woman.”

“You know who she looks like? That woman you used to date. What was her name?”

“Melanie?”

“Yeah. She looks like Melanie. Whatever happened to her?” Richard avoids looking at Jared as he says this.

“Oh, you know. Sometimes these things don’t work out. I think she was looking for someone a little more… traditionally ambitious.”

Richard scoffs.

“That’s- that’s so stupid. You _were_ ‘traditionally ambitious.’ You had the suit, and the big shot job at Hooli, and the car, and the swanky apartment.”

“I gave it all up for you,” Jared says quietly.

Richard turns away.

“Yeah.” 

And this is the most painful part. It’s always the most painful part, when Jared reminds him of how much he loves Richard. How much he’s always loved Richard, even though Richard’s never done anything to deserve it.

“Well, anyway, screw Melanie. You deserve better than her. You deserve to be happy.”

“Oh Richard, I am happy. I’m here with you.”

Richard pauses the television.

“Jared, you have to stop saying things like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like, like about how much you love me, how happy I make you. It’s, I mean, did you ever think maybe that’s why doesn’t work out with these women? Because you’re still in love with me?”

It’s a mean thing to say. Richard knows that immediately, can feel it in the stony look Jared is giving him. It was mean, and hurtful, and completely unwarranted. Richard wants to shove the words back into his mouth, but he can’t.

“Richard, that was uncalled for.”

“I know, Jared, I’m so sorry-”

“I have never, ever asked anything of you romantically. I have always been perfectly content to feel the things I feel, to be a supportive friend even though I know you don’t return my feelings.” Jared is standing up now, pacing his living room.

“Jared-”

“I have been your faithful friend for over ten years, I have been there through thick and thin for you, I have done your laundry, trimmed your nails, and cleaned up your vomit, all because I love you.” Richard has never seen Jared this angry before. It’s kind of… hot? 

“Jared, please-”

“So you don’t get to be mad at me for being in love with you. Because you’ve profited from my love for years. So if you resent my love, you shouldn’t be my friend anymore.”

“I don’t resent your love! I just- Jared, I just don’t deserve your love.”

Jared turns around, looks Richard in the eye. Something has changed again, Richard can feel it.

“Don’t say that.”

“Jared, it’s true. I’m a fuck up. I- I ruined your life. You said it yourself, you had everything, and you gave it all up for me. And what happened? I squandered it. I spent six years building a product that would have destroyed the world. I spent years trying to be someone worthy of your love and I never could be. So I just- I think you need to move on. To someone who deserves you.”

“Richard,” Jared whispers.

“Don’t- don’t ‘Richard’ me.”

“Richard.” Jared kneels in front of the couch, in front of Richard. “Richard, you think I fell in love with you because of Pied Piper? Because of your tech?”

“I don’t know why you love me.” Richard can feel tears in the back of his eyes.

“I fell in love with you because of who you are, because you’re smart, and brave, and you have a good, kind heart. I love how you always try to do the right thing. And when you destroyed Pied Piper? When you gave up your dream to save the world? I fell in love with you all over again.” 

And that’s too much. Because that’s what happened, wasn’t it? Richard gave up his dream to save the world and Jared fell in love with him. And really, who was he to tell Jared he was wrong, that Richard wasn’t good enough?

It’s more of a fall then a kiss. Richard slides forward on the couch until he’s toppling over, his face smashing into Jared’s, but Jared catches him, puts his arms around Richard’s waist so Richard is able to angle their mouths together and then they actually _are_ kissing.

“Jared,” Richard whispers. 

“Yeah?”

“I think I’m finally feeling the flow of the room.”

Jared laughs, but Richard doesn’t hear it. He’s too busy kissing him again.


End file.
